ASEAN Focus for Climate Action Forum 2018

Conference to Drive Investment in Clean and Green Growth

SINGAPORE, 26 January 2018. Climate Action Forum 2018 will draw attention to key climate challenges facing ASEAN, the need to implement policies and the sense of urgency required to drive investment in green and clean growth in the region.

“A two-day workshop is being planned in May followed by a conference in July to coincide with Singapore International Water Week,” said Ken Hickson in a phone interview with Gaia Discovery. Hickson is the Chairman of Sustain Ability Showcase Asia (SASA), an organiser of the forum along with another home-grown enterprise, Green in Future

Climate Action Forum highlights the latest on climate science, as well as the climate nexus of water, energy and food security, and the investment opportunities linked to climate change mitigation.

The event will involve the People, Private and Public (3P) sectors locally and in ASEAN, as well as financial institutions, youth and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).  He added that these events will complement Singapore's Year of Climate Action.

Professor Jeff Obbard: "Climate change needs urgent action"

The Chairman of the Organising Committee is Professor Jeff Obbard, an environmental scientist, ecologist and engineer, who previously served as Director for the Sustainable Development and Water Alliance at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Professor Obbard expects the Climate Action Forum to stress the sense of urgency needed to deal with the impacts of climate change which are already making their presence felt in ASEAN and other tropical regions.

"There is a need for greater awareness in ASEAN of what needs to be done to deal with the greater frequency of extreme weather events linked to climate change and how the public and private sectors can work together to build climate resilience in countries, cities and communities".

Climate Action Forum complements the line up of activities in the Singapore’s Year of Climate Action.

For more information on the Climate Action Forum 2018 and to register interest, please go to: www.climateactionforum.com

Singapore Writers Festival Features Multilingual Works

THE SINGAPORE WRITERS FESTIVAL 2017 IS ONE OF ASIA’S PREMIER LITERARY EVENTS.

The Singapore Writers Festival takes place from 3 to 12 November 2017 at various venues in central Singapore (such as The Arts House, National Gallery Singapore, Victoria Theatre and more. Make sure you download the programme - see below). 

This year it chose the Tamil concept of ‘Aram’ on ‘living a good life’. Dr. Lee Tzu Peng has also been chosen as Literary Pioneer.

The festival started in 1986 as a biennial festival. Now held yearly, the festival is a much anticipated event on the cultural calendar, presenting the world’s major literary talents to Singaporeans while shining a spotlight on home grown and Southeast Asian creative talents.

Attend Annaliza Bakri's launch of anthology titled Sikit Sikit Lama-Lama Jadi Bukit on 11 November 5 pm at The Arts House Gallery ll.

Over the years, the Festival has become an exciting meeting point of writers, academics and thinkers in a choice spread of panel discussions, workshops, lectures and performances in 10 days. It has hosted literati the likes of Nobel Prize winner Gao Xingjian, Whitbread Book Awards First Novel winner Tash Aw, British poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, Nebula winner Neil Gaiman and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cunningham.

The Singapore Writers Festival is one of the few multi-lingual literary festivals in the world, celebrating the written and spoken word in Singapore’s official languages – English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. This year, the Festival will be housed in the Civic District amongst historic buildings such as The Arts House, The National Gallery and the Asian Civilisations Museum.

"In line with our theme too, we believe SWF is for everyone, and that’s why we have enhanced our inclusive programming with more sign-language interpreters and note-takers for Deaf attendees. We have also reached out to children with mild disabilities and children from underserved communities with customised programmes," said Yeow Kai Chai, Festival Director.

"We open this year’s Festival with the Aram Conference, a series of panel discussions to engage audiences in exploring the meanings and nuances of the word from various viewpoints -- Aram in the 21st-century world and in multicultural Singapore, Aram in our spiritual lives, and Aram through the eyes of the youth. In particular, the key panel, Aram: An Intercultural Dialogue brings together Singaporean intellectuals from across different cultural backgrounds. Join us as we cross and push the boundaries, and create a uniquely Singaporean conversation about our common moral life," said Kwok Kian Woon, Chairman of the SWF Steering Committee (2017-2018).

"Multilingual and intercultural programming is a significant part of SWF as a means of promoting dialogue and interaction across cultures. This year’s highlights include Transcendent, a collaboration between Indian performing arts group, Bhaskar’s Arts Academy and Malay performing arts company, Sri Warisan on the concept of consciousness and beauty. And, if you’re a fan of rock music, don’t miss Lyrical Roots: The Poetry of Music , featuring two young poprock bands, as they perform in English and Tamil. Reflecting the cultural richness and diversity of ASEAN, we have invited writers from all 10 member states. They will regale us with their profound insights into the writings that speak to the unfolding human drama in Southeast Asia.

"There is much to experience in SWF 2017, and so much to learn. So, I ask you to take your time, participate in the discussions, soak in the atmosphere and discover what Aram means   to you," said Kwok.

Tickets to Singapore Writers Festival 2017

Festival Pass: $25.

Separately ticketed events: $10-$60

Festival Passes and tickets to SWF Stage events, SWF Class workshops and masterclasses and the SWF tours can be purchased at www.sistic.com.sg. Tickets to SWF3 can be purchased at   www.peatix.com.

For all other ticketing details, please refer to the programme write ups on the SWF website.

Download the Singapore Writers Festival 2017 programmes here (first part) and here (second part).